Visions of Mary: Mother of God
Barbara Calamari
ISBN 9780810955813
ASIN B079NQ9752
I stumbled upon another volume by this writing team and have since reading this first one tracked down all but 1 in digital format. I believe this volume would be even more wonderful as a physical book, but because of a dual form of dyslexia I greatly prefer eBooks. The first volume I read was all about Holy Cards, and it was a fascinating read. Again with this volume the cover immediately attracted my attention. Based on the cover of the edition I read I expected again a greater focus on prayer cards, that was not the case. This one has a much broader approach to the history of Mary, Marian Apparitions, and Mary in art and culture. I absolutely loved this volume and my 16 year old son asked to read it as soon as I finished.
The description of this volume states:
“The Virgin Mary inspires intense religious devotion throughout the Catholic world. In her 350 official incarnations-among them Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Lourdes, and The Mother of Sorrows-Mary brings a feminine face to worship, and serves as a conduit for the redemption of humanity. This beautiful and timeless book by the authors of the Abrams title Holy Cards explores Mary's many visionary appearances throughout history and their significance, and examines the iconography surrounding the most famous of these visions.
Catholics honor the woman they venerate as the Mother of God through special novena prayers. The Marian prayer cards displayed here, along with other examples of vernacular art illustrating Mary's various appearances, form an exquisite but accessible treasury of the many facets of the Holy Mother. With its radiantly illustrated iconography; its eternal theme; and its rare collection of holy cards, Visions of Mary should inspire believers and all those interested in art and religious iconography..”
The chapters and sections in it are:
Introduction Do Whatever He Tells You
Titles of Mary
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Cobre
Our Lady of Prompt Succor
The Miraculous Medal
Our Lady of La Salette
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Pompeii
Portfolio
Our Lady of Knock
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Light
Our Lady of Akita
The Black Madonnas
Our Lady of Czestochowa
The Virgen del Pilar
The Madonna del Tindari
Our Lady of Montserrat
Our Lady of Einsiedeln
Our Lady of Sorrows
The Rosary
Feast Days of Mary
Bibliography
Picture Credits
I only highlighted a few passages while working through this volume the first time they are:
“The Roman Catholic love and respect for the Virgin Mary divides it from other sects of Christianity. Mary is not only revered as the Mother of God but also as the Mother of all Humanity, and her image continually watches over every aspect in the daily life of Catholic countries. She is credited with working miracles through pictures, statues, and sacred earthly places.”
“As a human being Mary is able to relate directly to the major and minor sufferings of mankind. For this reason she is not prayed to as a goddess, but rather, called on by Catholics to aid them in their prayers. It is thought that she shares her constant flow of grace with those who ask, bringing them closer to God. Thomas Merton wrote, “Mary does not rule us from without, but from within. She does not change us by changing the world around us, but she changes the world around us by first changing our own inner lives.””
“The first sighting of Mary after her Assumption occurred in Puy, France in a.d. 47. She has been appearing to humanity ever since, offering unconditional love, healing, moral support, and in the last two centuries, warnings over the fate of mankind.”
Next to The World of Marian Apparitions: Mary's Appearances and Messages from Fatima to Today by Wincenty Laszewski and Apparitions of Mary Their Meaning in History by Donal Anthony Foley this is one of the best books I have read on the subject. This is an excellent volume. It presents many of the Marian apparitions, and traditions from around the world. It does so in a clear, and engaging manner. It is an easy volume to read and would be great for teens, young adults and adults.
I look forward to reading other volumes from the authors, and can easily recommend this book.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!
Original Cover
UK edition cover.
Books by Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua:
Novena: The Power of Prayer (1999)
Our Lady of Guadalupe in a Box: A Novena Prayer Kit (2002)
Visions of Mary (2004)
Our Lady of Guadalupe (2004)
Holy Cards (2004)
Saints: Ancient & Modern (2007)
Patron Saints: A Feast of Holy Cards (2007)
Holy Places: Sacred Sites in Catholicism (2015)
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Books by Barbara Calamari:
The Bible Companion: The Complete Illustrated Handbook to the Holy Scriptures
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